Despite losing in the semifinals of the 2017 SUNYAC tournament, despite graduating its two-time All-American forward, the Geneseo men’s hockey team was picked to finish first in the SUNYAC preseason poll.
A big reason for that optimism from opposing coaches is the stable of talented sophomore forwards stepping up at Geneseo.
"They’re a very talented group; they did a great job last year, and they’re picking right off. They’re our best players, and they do things the right way," coach Chris Schultz said. "These sophomores, they play the game the right way, and it’s contagious. When your best goal scorers are doing the right things defensively, it goes a long way and makes coaching easier."
The Knights entered the 2017-18 season without Stephen Collins, a first-team All-America selection in 2015 and 2016 and the team’s leading scorer the previous two seasons. They also graduated Trevor Hills, who scored 35 goals over the past two seasons.
